What Grief Brings
by kaylagrace
Summary: This begins with my interpretation of how 'Endgame' should have finished, and leads on to Korra's struggle as she learns to accept her loss and discover who she is without bending.


I pulled my coat from the hook attached to the wall and walked outside. The cold wind blew small flakes of ice onto my face. I couldn't stand to be in the same room as any of them. They had just stood there with faces filled with pity and lying words.

It was not going to be ok.

I was the Avatar. It was my identity. It was all I knew, and now it was gone. Who was I without my bending? No one, I thought bitterly.

'Korra, wait,' Mako called as he followed me down the steps of the hut. I paused.

'Go away,' I snarled.

'I will,' he responded softly. 'But I just want you to know that I'm here for you.' I looked into his eyes and saw the pity they held.

'No, I mean go away. Back to Republic City, where you can get on with your life.' I crossed my arms and turned away. I didn't want Mako to feel like he had to stay out of some sense of duty or friendship. He had rejected me when we first met, yet had befriended me only when discovering my identity as the Avatar. Now that I was no longer the Avatar I knew Mako felt differently about me. He was only staying because he felt obliged.

'What are you talking about?' He asked. As if he didn't know, I though savagely.

'I'm not the Avatar anymore. You don't need to do me any favours,' I replied and started to walk away. He didn't really want to be here, and I wasn't going to force it upon him.

'I don't care if you're the Avatar or not,' he said, grasping my shoulder. 'Listen, when Tarrlok took you I was losing my mind at the thought of never seeing you again.' He paused then moved closer to me. 'I realised… I love you, Korra.'

I hadn't been expecting those words. I had spent months dreaming about Mako and praying that he felt the same way, hoping that those words would one day pass his lips. And now that they finally happened all I could feel was shame.

I was nothing. Everything that I was had been taken from me. My bending, my purpose and all my goals were gone. I knew that Mako didn't really love me, he just felt pity for me. And even if he did feel something I wasn't sure if I felt it back. Everything had changed.

He placed his hand on my face, but I pulled it away.

'I… I can't,' I responded. Ashamed, I turned and ran towards Naga.

'Korra?' Mako exclaimed as I mounted the white Polardog and steered her through the ice gates and away from Mako.

Naga continued across the ice and towards the ocean. I tried to concentrate on the horizon instead of the pain in my heart. But all I could see was the sad faces that surrounded me. Their eyes reflected only pity and disappointment. I had failed as the Avatar.

We reached the edge of an ice cliff and I dismounted from Naga. Everything that I was had been lost, and tears stung my eyes at the thought of the future. All I could do was continue to train in airbending, but to what purpose? Everything that I had trained for was gone, and there was really no point trying to continue. I had been so terrible to Tenzin already. I wouldn't waste anymore of his time.

A small tear rolled down my cheek and fell over the cliff side. Before Amon I could have done whatever I wanted to that little drop, but now I was powerless. I imagined what it felt like to be that small tear, falling down to meet the cool and peaceful ocean. The idea seemed almost relieving.

I moved closer to the cliffs edge. If I jumped everything would be solved. The cycle would begin again and the World would still have an Avatar. I wouldn't be a complete failure. I could still help. With tears still rolling down my face I pushed myself off the cliffs edge.

My body was suspended in air for several seconds, then was violently pulled backwards by an explosion of cold air. I hid the ice behind me with a loud thud.

'Korra!' I heard Tenzin exclaim. A heavy collection of red and yellow robes engulfed me. 'What were you thinking,' he demanded.

He looked amazed, anxious, upset and angry all at once. I couldn't take it anymore. Turning away I began to sob into his robes. Tenzin pulled me closer.

'I can't do this,' I cried hysterically. 'Everything that I am is gone and I… I can't…'

'Yes you can,' he responded firmly. 'You are the strongest girl I know, and that is not because of your bending ability.'

'But I've let everyone down. I've let the world down!'

'Well jumping from a cliff isn't going to fix the situation!' Tenzin cried. 'Korra, listen to me,' He said shaking me slightly. 'You are the most determined and reckless person I have ever met. You will find a way to fix this. You are still the Avatar, even without your bending. And I know that if anyone can fight this, it is you.'

'How? How do I fight this, Tenzin?'

'By not giving up.'


End file.
